It is said that there is a thin line between love and hate and many things can push others over the edge.
Zanele Mkhonto (30) killed her lover, Sergeant Mandlenkosi Happy Thwala (47) in his sleep in 2022.
The Mpumalanga High Court heard that the couple lived together from January to July 2022 in Gedlembane, Pienaar. After realising that their relationship was volatile she left to her parental home.
“On 2 August 2022, Zanele visited the deceased in Gedlembane and an altercation between the two ensued. Mandlenkosi fell asleep and Zanele took his service pistol and fatally shot him several times while asleep in bed.
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“She then left the scene, taking the deceased Mandlenkosi’s firearm and vehicle. On her way to her homestead in Masoyi, she came across a road block in Zwelisha, near KaBokweni and threw away the firearm which was found by the members of the public the following morning.
“Upon her arrival at home, she then informed her friend about the crime she committed and the police were alerted. She was subsequently arrested, and the state successfully opposed her release on bail.”
In aggravation of sentence, State Advocate Zwelethu Mata, addressed the court that the accused did not show any remorse for her actions, instead, she attempted to trivialise her actions by untested narratives via presentence reports.
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Advocate Mata objected to these reports and further highlighted that this kind of offence amounts to domestic violence and the society awaits with bated breath to see whether the court will treat female accused with soft hands, as opposed to male accused in cases of domestic violence.
Acting Judge Sheila Msibi, remarked that the killing of a police officer is a loss to the state and the society at large.She said, law enforcement officers are servants of the law . She found that there were substantial and compelling circumstances justifying deviation from the ordained minimum sentence of life. She sentenced the accused to 20 years direct imprisonment, and was automatically declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.
